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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ball · hand · craft · rush · bay · lie · mark · cell

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. lie — to recline
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. cell — a phone
  12. rush — hurry
  13. mark — a grade
  14. ball — a great time
  15. hand — in cards
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. hand — help
  18. craft — boats
  19. mark — a trace
  20. cell — in biology
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. craft — a skill
  24. ball — a dance

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com